20 Stocks With The Potential To Pop
It's the basic question when investing in a stock: is it on the way up or down?
To answer this question, the street has developed numerous ways of attempting to predict what will happen, estimating various attributes tied to stock performance in order to determine what the future holds for a company's valuation. After dissecting the data, analysts following a particular stock produce a price target of where they believe the stock is headed.
So far this year, the S&P 500 is up nearly 9 percent, with only about half (249) of the index components outperforming the overall market. Stocks with positive performance this year, CNBC’s Analytics teamlooked at the ones that have average consensus estimates farthest above their current stock prices. All values including analysts’ estimates are as of the market close on March 8, 2012.
So, which stocks are analysts expecting to have the biggest pops? Click ahead to find out!
Click here to see how last quarter's "Stocks with the Potential to Pop" have performed since the list was published.
By Giovanny Moreano & Paul Toscano
Posted 8 March 2012
20. CIGNA (CI)
Potential to Pop: 24.06%
Mean Price Target: $54.07
Closing Price (3/8): $43.58
Number of Analysts: 15
High Estimate: $61
Low Estimate: $45
Get CI Real-Time Quote
19. Lincoln National (LNC)
Potential to Pop: 23.25%
Mean Price Target: $29.84
Closing Price (3/8): $24.21
Number of Analysts: 16
High Estimate: $41
Low Estimate: $22
Get LNC Real-Time Quote
18. Gilead Sciences (GILD)
Potential to Pop: 24.01%
Mean Price Target: $57.70
Closing Price (3/8): $46.53
Number of Analysts: 23
High Estimate: $67
Low Estimate: $45
Get GILD Real-Time Quote
17. Owens Illinois (OI)
Potential to Pop: 29.77%
Mean Price Target: $29.44
Closing Price (3/8): $23.68
Number of Analysts: 9
High Estimate: $35
Low Estimate: $26
Get OI Real-Time Quote
16. Morgan Stanley (MS)
Potential to Pop: 24.53%
Mean Price Target: $22.64
Closing Price (3/8): $18.18
Number of Analysts: 25
High Estimate: $30
Low Estimate: $17
Get MS Real-Time Quote
15. MetLife Inc (MET)
Potential to Pop: 25.54%
Mean Price Target: $47.82
Closing Price (3/8): $38.09
Number of Analysts: 17
High Estimate: $60
Low Estimate: $40
Get MET Real-Time Quote
14. Devon Energy (DVN)
Potential to Pop: 25.70%
Mean Price Target: $90.64
Closing Price (3/8): $72.15
Number of Analysts: 27
High Estimate: $135
Low Estimate: $70
Get DVN Real-Time Quote
13. Johnson Controls (JCI)
Potential to Pop: 25.97%
Mean Price Target: $40.26
Closing Price (3/8): $31.96
Number of Analysts: 23
High Estimate: $53
Low Estimate: $33
Get JCI Real-Time Quote
12. Hess Corp (HES)
Potential to Pop: 26.22%
Mean Price Target: $81.49
Closing Price (3/8): $64.56
Number of Analysts: 14
High Estimate: $105
Low Estimate: $62
Get HES Real-Time Quote
11. Noble Energy (NBL)
Potential to Pop: 26.52%
Mean Price Target: $120.76
Closing Price (3/8): $95.45
Number of Analysts: 21
High Estimate: $145
Low Estimate: $99
Get NBL Real-Time Quote
10. The Hartford Financial Services Group (HIG)
Potential to Pop: 28.97%
Mean Price Target: $25.69
Closing Price (3/8): $19.92
Number of Analysts: 13
High Estimate: $36
Low Estimate: $21
Get HIG Real-Time Quote
9. Ford Motor (F)
Potential to Pop: 28.97%
Mean Price Target: $16.07
Closing Price (3/8): $12.46
Number of Analysts: 14
High Estimate: $19
Low Estimate: $12
Get F Real-Time Quote
8. Joy Global (JOY)
Potential to Pop: 29.36%
Mean Price Target: $104.83
Closing Price (3/8): $81.04
Number of Analysts: 12
High Estimate: $114
Low Estimate: $92
Get JOY Real-Time Quote
7. JDS Uniphase (JDSU)
Potential to Pop: 30.27%
Mean Price Target: $17.13
Closing Price (3/8): $13.15
Number of Analysts: 12
High Estimate: $19
Low Estimate: $14.50
Get JDSU Real-Time Quote
6. Denbury Resources (DNR)
Potential to Pop: 34.45%
Mean Price Target: $25.72
Closing Price (3/8): $19.13
Number of Analysts: 16
High Estimate: $33
Low Estimate: $19
Get DNR Real-Time Quote
5. QEP Resources (QEP)
Potential to Pop: 35.30%
Mean Price Target: $43.73
Closing Price (3/8): $32.32
Number of Analysts: 13
High Estimate: $53
Low Estimate: $35
Get QEP Real-Time Quote
4. Nabors Industries (NBR)
Potential to Pop: 35.62%
Mean Price Target: $27.49
Closing Price (3/8): $20.27
Number of Analysts: 23
High Estimate: $34
Low Estimate: $21
Get NBR Real-Time Quote
3. Freeport-McMoRan (FCX)
Potential to Pop: 37.37%
Mean Price Target: $54.26
Closing Price (3/8): $39.50
Number of Analysts: 19
High Estimate: $66
Low Estimate: $40
Get FCX Real-Time Quote
2. Halliburton (HAL)
Potential to Pop: 44.54%
Mean Price Target: $50.27
Closing Price (3/8): $34.78
Number of Analysts: 28
High Estimate: $67
Low Estimate: $38.50
Get HAL Real-Time Quote
1. Sprint Nextel (S)
Potential to Pop: 46.15%
Mean Price Target: $3.80
Closing Price (3/8): $2.60
Number of Analysts: 27
High Estimate: $11
Low Estimate: $1
Get S Real-Time Quote